Why It Always Pays To Plant This Herb Near Your Tomatoes

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Whether you're making a sandwich or a pasta sauce, nothing beats the fresh flavor of tomatoes grown in your own backyard (or balcony) garden. To enhance the flavor of your tomatoes even more, though, grow them next to a basil plant. Doing so will not only make your recipes — such as a fresh basil, tomato, and prosciutto frittata – taste amazing but also help your tomatoes (and other plants) grow well.

Gardening enthusiasts and horticulturists aren't kidding when they say that basil is a great companion plant for tomatoes. When it comes to flavor, the aromatic oils from the herb infuse tomatoes that are grown directly next to it or nearby, which makes the fruits taste richer. The interacting root systems and shared nutrients of soil containing both plants may also influence the flavor.

Beyond taste, basil's bushy foliage provides shade for the tomato plant soil, improving water retention and keeping the fruit plant's roots cool on hot, sunny days. One of the biggest benefits of planting them together, though, is natural pest control. Aphids, asparagus beetles, fruit flies, tomato hornworms, whiteflies, and even mosquitoes don't like the scent of this herb. On the other hand, pollinating insects — such as bees, butterflies, and ladybugs — are attracted to the smell and also feed on harmful pests, including caterpillars. This insect control is one reason gardeners tend to get more fruit from tomatoes planted near basil.

In addition to all of the benefits of planting basil alongside tomatoes, these two plants are some of the easiest to grow (even for beginners) and require similar growing conditions. They're both native to tropical climates, so they enjoy full sunlight (six to eight hours a day), warm temperatures, and consistent watering. Although, basil likes a bit of shade and dislikes soggy soil.

You can grow tomatoes and basil from cuttings or seeds — such as this SWEET Yards organic basil seeds variety pack and this SWEET YARDS organic tomato seeds variety pack. When planting them in the ground, establish your tomatoes a few weeks before the basil. Spring is the best time to start, and placing the basil at least 12 inches from the tomatoes ensures that their root systems work together rather than in competition while preventing fungal diseases and enhancing airflow. However, it's possible to plant both in the same pot with enough space. And, if you use separate pots, you can still get a lot of the benefits of growing tomatoes and basil together by just setting the containers near each other. Just make sure that the planters have three or four holes in the bottom outside edge for proper drainage to avoid root rot.

If you ever end up with more harvest than you know how to use, friends and family will likely enjoy the fruits of your labor. There are always ways to use fresh basil and tomato, such as in a creamy tomato-basil soup or heirloom tomato Caprese salad.